The Things

If you're familiar with and enjoy John Carpenters fantastic horror classic The Thing (an adaptation of the book Who Goes There?) then you're bound to appreciate The Things, a story told from the perspective of the alien life-force itself. Yes, it takes away the mystique of the monster with a complete explanation of its origins and motivations, but it's awesome. Disturbingly unanswered questions are my favorite part of any good horror story, yet the exposition offered by The Things is worth every word.



The Thing is actually getting the prequel treatment for a projected release later this year, and I've had high hopes for it ever since I heard that the effects remain primarily animatronic. The original film was terrifyingly convincing before the widespread use of CGI effects, and I'm glad they respect and appreciate that legacy. No matter how good computer effects get, there's always something just a little "off" about them. They become so good that we know they're just made of information instead of matter, and so we know in the back of our minds that they're less "real," never quite as atmospheric as good old latex and metal.

This sure turned into a heartfelt tangent, didn't it?